Ever After
by TippierCoffee
Summary: LTLY 4/4. The youngest fall in love, the oldest make a mistake, and a friend suddenly comes back after being gone for four years without a single word. All about the offspring. M for language and future chapters.
1. Prologue

**Author: TippierCoffee.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own—nor do I claim the right to—the show Codename: Kids Next Door. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**

 **LTLY series: 1. Learning To Love You; 2. Again; 3. Alone; 4. Ever After.**

 **A/N: This story will mostly contain original charaters, though Wally and Kuki will be present in some chapters.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Prologue.

There was a time when Sheila Sanban Beetles resisted people. A time when she tried to keep potential friends at bay. Why should she bother when no one could ever tell the difference between her and her twin—Sakura—anyway? Many times she got in trouble for 'being mean' or 'being a bully', but in her opinion she was just being honest. People didn't care if it was one or the other; Sakura or Sheila. Therefore, Sheila didn't care about their feelings. Still, she was envious. Sakura had so many friends and always laughed. Everyone loved her a lot more than Sheila who was more reserved and got in too many fights. When there was a problem, Sheila got blamed, even if it wasn't her fault, and even if she didn't start it.

There was a boy in their class as well. Owen, his name was. Owen Wilson, just like the actor. With his big smile, round brown eyes, and ragged brown hair, he annoyed Sheila more than anything. Not because he laughed or goofed around, he could do whatever he wanted. But he was loud. The loudest seven-year-old Sheila knew, but others would disagree and say she was the loudest. Owen kept bugging her in recess when she went to a corner and played with the little knight figures. He also came up randomly in class, trying to see if he could guess which one she was. The strange thing was, he hadn't gotten it wrong a single time yet. Sheila and Sakura could swap places, swap clothes, swap friends and behaviour, and he was the only one—besides their parents—who could tell.

Today, he came again, carrying that same irritating smile. His small figure blocked the lamps and made it hard for Sheila to figure out whom was conquering whom. She looked up, angled emerald eyes meeting round brown ones.

"What do you want, Owen?"

"Sheila!" he smiled. "Definitely Sheila. And you said to me last week, that if I could tell Sakura and you apart all week, you'd play with me."

"So?" she rolled her eyes at him, hoping he would go away if she looked down and continued her game.

"So… it's been a week now and I haven't gotten it wrong a single time. I wanna join your knights game."

A sigh escaped Sheila. Tiny in comparison to that of her teachers and parents whenever she got in trouble. Her eyes fond him again, bouncing in his spot, his small hands knitted into fists brought up to his face. His eyes shimmered with anticipation. Another sigh.

"I guess I did promise you."

"Yey!" he bounced.

"Though I don't get why you wanna bug me so cruddy much."

Cruddy. A word she heard her father use on a lot of occasions. She liked it, and she never got in trouble for it, so she took on his legacy and used in as many situations as she could. She wasn't sure her mother liked it though. Whatever.

"Well…" Owen chewed, picking up the red knights from the other side of the castle. "You always sit alone, and your sister has so many good friends. I just thought it'd be fun to join you. For you too."

Sheila sighed once more, her eyes resting unimpressed on Owen. He was such a weirdo, and yet, the shadow of a smile forced its way onto her lips. Maybe she could tolerate Owen. He might be good enough.

* * *

He was the first one to tell them apart when they were seven. He never failed, he never got it wrong, and could never be fooled. He kept her company when most others wouldn't, and made her happier. He had sleep overs at her house where they built blanket forts, and she got annoyed when Sakura would sneak into them whenever they told scary stories. Sakura could never handle scary stories, and always sat and hid herself in Owen's arms. Sheila could tell by his eyes he felt bad for scaring her sister, but Sheila didn't care. Owen and Sakura might talk every once in a while, and play pony and princesses together. But Sakura would never have with Owen what Sheila had with Owen. They were best friends.

On a rainy day when they were almost nine, they went outside without coats, Sheila and Owen, and they had a war. They tumbled about and slashed mud balls at each other. They rolled on the ground, pretending to fight, smearing mud on each other's cheeks and necks. Whenever they were in this position, one on top of the other, they counted down from three. Whoever hit zero first, won. Sheila didn't give up, Owen didn't give up, and eventually they were both drenched to the bone. They reeked of wet grass, mud dripping off them, their clothes stuck to their bodies. They bathed together in Sheila's parents' tub. Sheila made fun of that thing Owen had between his legs, and he made fun of her for not having one. Then they splashed around, new fight, water everywhere. But they had fun.

Owen was Sheila's best friend. They hung out almost every day and went to school together just as often. They spoke about everything together, kept secrets, went on adventures in the park. They slung soft balls of grass after people and ran away in fits of laughter. There was no one more fun in the world than Owen. Sheila became more of a tomboy, as people liked to call it, while Sakura remained girly.

When they were twelve, Sakura started getting into diaries, and got curious about make-up and boys. The thought alone made Sheila shiver. What was so special about boys; weren't they all like Owen? Goofy, sometimes irritating, fun to fight with, enthusiastic about horror movies they weren't supposed to watch. At almost thirteen, Sheila and Owen regretted that one. They slept over at Owen's and he nicked a 15+ horror flick from his parents' bedroom. Though they both pretended they could stomach it, they ended up building a blanket fort for the first time in ages and cuddling up together in it. It was safe. But they got in trouble once they had to confess about being scared.

He was her best friend. The only one she really had. Most people stayed away because Sheila was 'that weird girl who got into fights, and she wasn't charming at all.' But one day, something happened. Owen missed school, he didn't answer his door, and when she came home, a letter awaited her. It was Owen's scrawny handwriting. Easy enough to make out, but not pretty at all. And the words made a storm of tears blind Sheila.

 _Hey Shei._

 _Sorry about this, I know it's sudden, but my dad decided to move out of nowhere and only gave us today to pack. When you come home, we're probably already gone, headed for another state. I don't even know where it is, I don't think my mum does either. She's really mad._

 _I'll contact you when I get there, give you my address. Maye we can still meet up. We should be able to, we're best friends. Let's stay in touch!_

 _Owen._

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter of Ever After.**

 **As always: Criticism and/or advices on improvements are welcome and highly appreciated :)**

 **-TippierCoffee**


	2. Matt I

**Author: TippierCoffee.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own—nor do I claim the right to—the show Codename: Kids Next Door. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**

 **LTLY series: 1. Learning To Love you; 2. Again; 3. Alone; 4. Ever After.**

 **A/N: This story will mostly contain original characters, though Wally and Kuki will be present in some chapters.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Matt I.

No one ground my gears quite like Raph. He stood there with that stupid grin of his; the one he always wore when he was right about something. I had seen it countless times ever since we were little. We practically grew up together, him and I. His parents own the gaming company Moreno Tech. No one knew in the start because Raph never told. But on his tenth birthday, his farther decided to throw him a massive party in the mansion they call a house. People came, though not many were friends with Raph before that. They used to tease him sometimes, with his crooked nose and his buck teeth. Some even teased him with the complexion of his skin. That constant tan he naturally wore which made us white kids look like snow in comparison. Mr. Pedro Moreno went way out of his way to throw Raph's party—probably to make up for lost time and all those nights him and Mrs. Lilly Moreno were on businesses, leaving Raph alone with the house keeper Taélla. There was a bouncy castle, easily the size of my backyard, and petting zoos, and band performances, and beta test gaming equipment, plus demos to all the guest of the latest game Moreno Tech would release the year after. Suddenly, everyone wanted to be Raph's friend, and they came with their fake smiles, and baked cakes, and clung to his arm, and fluttered their stupid lashes. Fake as thieves.

Now, in middle school, both of us age twelve—going thirteen—we could brag of our six-year-long friendship. Not that we did, or needed to. I was the one who remained real, who didn't kiss ass to try out the newest gaming tech, as exciting as it was. Because I cared more for Raph than for his money, and I still do. That does not sop me from hating that stupid told-you-so grin of his. It irritated me as much as it always did as I stood there, soaked to the bone, strawberry-blond locks of hair disturbing my vision. Sure, he had offered me a place under that stupid, plain, black umbrella of his when it stared pouring, but the rain came so fast and aggressively it didn't matter anyway.

"Told you to bring an umbrella," he grinned, his voice cracking almost discretely.

"Shut up," I scowled, chatting him at the back of his head. He still kept grinning.

Annoying grin, pearly white teeth, and I wondered if I should tease him with having them bleached, even though I didn't think he did. So I continued scowling, my body shivering in this early-June shower, goosebumps raising the fine hairs on my scrawny arms. I sure hoped they would grow with time and the upcoming puberty. Raph was already broader than I, and just last year we could share clothes. I still fit his, but he… well, if he tried to put on a blouse of mine at least, the shoulders might rip. It would be a bit too tight for him.

Today we went home to my place again. Raph liked it there. The charm of an ordinary average American home. As ordinary as a home could get with a father who left town the moment he found out my mother was pregnant. Ass hat. She never really dated after that, not that I minded much. But sometimes, I did wonder if she ever got lonely, or stressed. Being the single mother of a soon-to-be teenage boy couldn't be all that easy. Personally, I liked the house Raph's housekeeper had better. She got it to spend those vacations she never had. An ordinary, boring home, on a boringly, quiet street in Cleveland. Raph's real house was just at the outskirts of Cleveland, too far away from our secondary school for me to understand why he went there. Not that I complained about his schools. We went there together after all.

Taélla's vacation house had had some use regardless. It's hard to not bump into old school mates once you change schools to start in secondary. A few of our old classmates made it to Garfield middle school, just like we did. They didn't hesitate to tell all about Raphael Moreno, the son of the owner of Moreno Tech. Raph denied it, of course, and when people wanted to come home with him to confirm, he sent a text to Taélla, she rigged up her vacation house, people came 'home to Raph', and no one believed our old classmates after that. After all, Moreno isn't too uncommon a surname for Hispanics.

We turned the corner which lead to that dead-end road where my house stood. Small with crumbling white paint and faded writing on our mailbox. Callahan. Matthew 'Matt' Callahan. Ordinary, boring name, befitting for an ordinary, boring house, on an ordinary, boring street in Cleveland. But today, something was different on my street. Along the way, a figure sat on the road. Shimmering eyes, tears disappearing in the rain-splotches on her cheeks, and raven hair plastered to her scalp and sticking to her cheeks, neck, and soaked clothes. She sat on her knees in the middle of a water puddle, knees touching the ground right before the sewer system—a squared box with furrows on the ground. She had her hands on her knees and shivered, her shoulders jumped up and down with her sobs, and she seemed to be mumbling something to herself. We both stopped in our tracks, Raph and I. I felt him cast a sideways glance to me, looked at him briefly, and wondered if we looked equally curious. We stared at the girl on the road again, leaning against the curb. I wondered how long she'd been sitting there, alone, on the road, crying in the pouring rain. She didn't look much older than the two of us, and I hesitated. Raph did, too. His uncertainty oozed off of him and hit me like a tidal wave. I hated when his mood affected me like that. It made me hesitate for a moment longer, holding my breath, taking in her clothing for some stupid reason. A green quarter-sleeved hoodie and knee-length loose jeans. They looked like the kind of jean-shorts I often found in stores in the male department. I never bought those, however. Too many damn buttons.

I let out a sigh and ran a hand though my soaked hair, brushing it out of my sight. We couldn't just leave that girl sitting there all day, someone must be looking for her. Parents, friends, maybe even the cops. I cast another sideways glance towards Raph, stuffed my hands in my pockets, and pulled my shoulders as close to my ears as possible. Who would have though an early-June shower could be this damn cold?

"Why are you sitting there?" I asked, Raph carefully walking in my heels.

"Mind your own business!" she snarled, a pair of emeralds full of lightning glaring at me, shimmering with tears.

They took me by surprise. I'd never see such a colour before. They sucked out my breath and I felt stupid when I couldn't really form words. What the hell? It was just some random girl on the road I didn't even know, no need to choke up like a moron! I cleared my throat and stepped closer, Raph's eyes drilling into my neck. He was definitely nervous about this.

"You'll catch a cold if you keep sitting there," I tried as gently as possible.

"What part of 'mind your own business' didn't you understand, Shit face?"

Okay. So she was rude as well, and had a mouth. I'd never heard girls cuss before, it felt foreign. Not that I thought girls were necessarily angels, and I often wondered if maybe they just cussed when they were alone together. But until she called me shit face, I had never heard cusses from girls. Knowing Raph, that overly polite, old-fashioned gentleman, he might tell her not to cuss just because, so I decided to speak up before he got a chance to make her even more upset.

"My name is Matthew, what's yours?"

"Piss off!"

"You know, my house is right over there," I pointed. "Maybe, if you'd like, you could come in. My mum makes really good hot chocolate, and her tea isn't too bad either."

"Are you deaf or what, you retarded fuck? I told you to piss off!"

This was pointless. I should walk. Even Raph seemed to think as much as he came up next to me. The rain disappeared when his shoulder brushed mine and he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Let's just go, Matt. She doesn't want to come, there's no point forcing her."

He was right. He always was. Raph, that diplomatic goodie-two-shoes. I respected that about him, but I also hated it. He knew I was envious of him, I once told in a fit of rage one of those days where we argued… or, I argued with him about something stupid I don't even remember. I dared stepping closer to the fierce girl with fire in her emerald eyes. She stared me down, and I reached out my hand, a careful smile on my lips.

"Won't you come?"

She glared for a while, her nostrils flaring, her teeth clattering, her fringe teasing the top of her lashes. She had to blink almost constantly to not get raindrops in her emerald orbs, but at least her sour face changed. It softened up, slowly but surely, and without words, never taking her eyes off me, she reached out her hand and put it in mine. My mum always read those silly romance novels, about love at first sight, and sparks, and women with soft hands, but these hands were anything but soft. They were rough, and the knuckles looked bruised. Not from something recent, but from something that happened a while ago. When she stood up I saw her right knee was scraped, and she limped a little. Maybe she'd fallen on something while running, or walking, or whatever she did, and decided to just not get up again. Grey gravel, picked up from the concrete, sat in the wound.

"That must hurt like hell," I heard myself say, like a real moron would have said it. My voice also cracked when I said 'hell', like I was scared to say that damn word out loud.

She gave me a shrug, letting go of my hand, eyes gliding to Raph with curiosity then back to me. Though she shivered, her legs was a shoulder-width apart, perfect stance to fight us if she wanted. Even her fists curled and uncurled.

"Sheila," she said, her tone still less-than-friendly.

"Huh?" such a genius response…

"My name."

"Oh!" I looked at my shoes feeling dumber than dumb, took a deep breath and swung my arm at Raph, almost hitting him by accident. "This is Raphael. I usually go by Matt, he usually goes by Raph."

She nodded without blinking, her stance as sturdy as before despite the skinny body shivering. I stood for a while, flickering my eyes to Raph, hoping for him to say something next because I was stumped. He came to my rescue, reliable as usual.

"Maybe we should go in now. You're both soaked," his grin came back, and more than ever I felt like ripping that damn umbrella out of his hand and run off with it so he could be soaked like Sheila and me.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter of Ever After.**

 **As always: Criticism and/or advices on improvements are welcome and highly appreciated :)**

 **-TippierCoffee**


	3. Matt II

**Author: TippierCoffee.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own—nor do I claim the right to—the show Codename: Kids Next Door. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**

 **LTLY series: 1. Learning To Love you; 2. Again; 3. Alone; 4. Ever After.**

 **A/N: This story will mostly contain original characters, though Wally and Kuki will be present in some chapters.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Matt II

Sheila lent my mother's shower while I took the one downstairs. Because our clothes got washed, she had to lend some of mine. I let Raph pick it out, just to give him something to do. He knew which clothes I liked most, and therefore knew what _not_ to lend this foreign creature named Sheila. My mum put it in the shower room she used, and by the time I was done, she already sat in silence with Raph, sipping her hot chocolate. She wore one of my old T-shirts, one I hadn't seen—much less worn—in a long time. A plain white thing with the number 86 on it. Why it had that number, I didn't know. Or maybe I did and just couldn't remember anymore. She also wore a pair of my Bermuda shorts—a brown/beige colour. I liked those.

"Your underwear is really comfy," she mumbled in her cup and I felt my face heat up.

But of course she wore my underwear, why wouldn't she? Had she really been soaked that much? I didn't really believe it, but it probably already lay in the washing machine, whatever underwear she wore before.

"Yeh…" I didn't know what else to respond, and Raph already sat with his usual grin, laughing in his mug.

Would be interesting to see how much he'd be laughing if I poured its content over his locks of tar. Maybe that could wipe that stupid grin of his face. I scooted next to him, across of Sheila, focusing on the table, and put my hands around my own mug. It was burning warm, but somehow, I didn't mind it. It distracted me enough from the girl across of me, whose legs rocked back and forth underneath the table. I drank, my eyes involuntarily gliding to her as she sat there, still staring at the chocolate in her mug. Her hair looked a lot softer now, and my mum had lent her a hair band to tie it with. It sat on her wrist and sparkled, a spectrum of purple. She kept guiding her hair behind her ear whenever it fell in front of her. Cut in layers, ending at her shoulder blades, straight fringe, long lashes. Weird. Her looks didn't fit her personality at all.

"Here you are, Sweetie," my mum cooed, stepping into the room with a cell phone in her hand.

She must have used the last ten minutes or so to dry it off and save the battery. My mum was really good at that, saving electronics the rest of us thought were doomed. She gave Sheila a little smile which Sheila half returned, then my mum went over to me and handed me my cell phone, also dry. She stroked my hair and gave a peck to my forehead, she always did, and for some reason it bothered me she did it in front of Sheila.

"Mum…" I mumbled, looking into her smiling face framed by the long strawberry blond hair, a bit more blond than my more orange-hued.

She always looked young, my mum. Sparkling moss-green eyes, nothing like my amber-brown ones. She used to say I had my father's eyes until she noticed how much it bothered me. I didn't like being compared to a man I'd never known and whom broke my mother's heart and left her in economic issues. It was so bad we had to live with her parents the first three-and-a-half years of my life. Ass hat.

"Say, Sheila," my mum turned her attention to the girl. "Maybe we should call your parents and let them know you're okay?"

Sheila looked at the table and shuffled her feet. She mumble something under her breath, looking less-than-enthusiastic about calling her parents and them coming over. Raph looked nervous by the thought too, as if whichever parents let their daughter cuss must be bad. As for myself, I wasn't sure what to think. If her parents came over, at least she would be out of our hair, and Raph and I could do whatever it was we thought we'd do. At his place, it was easy on rainy days. Play games in the Game Suit. When we were at my place we usually ended up playing cards or boardgames, and my mum joined the boardgames too often for my liking, but Raph loved it. A family away from family, he called it. Maybe I should teach the bastard to play poker? He was fun when he got competitive. A foot to my shin stopped my train of thoughts and I burnt my throat on half-a-mouthful of hot chocolate. A choked whimper left me before I could stop it, and tears sprang to my eyes as I started coughing, putting down my mug and glaring across of me on that stupid girl who sat with a mischievous smile, her eyes nothing but innocence.

"Oh no, Matty," my mum cooed, making me want to disappear all together. "Don't be too eager, darling."

"I wasn't," my voice came out, high pitched and trembling. "She kicked me!" an accusing finger flew to Sheila across me.

"Who, me?" she looked shocked, fluttering those stupid lashes of hers. "Don't blame me for your own clumsiness."

Sugar-sweet voice, cuddly-cute face. Of course my mum believed her, and she ruffled my hair, mumbling something about being love-sick. What the hell, mum? As if, I still barely knew that monster across of me whose smirk grew as my mum left to the living room to watch one of those sit-coms she always watches.

"You'll pay for that, damn it!" I snarled at Sheila.

"Oh, buhu," she rubbed a bended index finger under her left eye. "Cry a river, Matty."

"Why you little—"

"Please don't fight," Raph's concerned voice interrupted me. At least he kept his voice down so my mum didn't come back in. I didn't need her to baby me, or resolve this for us.

"Is he always so quiet and obedient?" Sheila snorted, rolling her eyes at Raph.

"Insult him again, I dare you. You, you…" why couldn't I think up an insult?!

"Shit face? Donkey dick? Bitch? Oh, oh, I know, how about: Piece of trash? Should be right up your alley, mister he-ell," she deliberately pitched her voice on hell, mimicking that cracking incident I had earlier.

I got up so quick I almost knocked the chair over, Raph stood with me, more gracefully and with a lot more care. His expression was nothing but worry as he looked from me to Sheila who also got up now. Slow, with a smirk on her face, like she owned the world. My mum spoke to herself in the living room.

"Look who's standing up to his boyfriend," she mocked. "How cute."

I'd had it. I hated this creature with a passion unlike any I'd ever felt before. Larger than my passion for games, and kicking cans with Raph—which he'd of course throw in the recycle bin once we were done. A passion larger than that I had for physical education, and soccer, and baseball. Even Raph had stopped in his track. Old-fashioned fool. He hated when people teased us with being gay, and a lot did. It made him uncomfortable and distant. Idiot.

We stepped closer to each other, Sheila and I, her with nothing but mischief written all over her face. Crooked smile, excited eyes, fists curled in balls, bouncy steps. She tried to act all tough, and she was like two centimetres shorter than me! Irritating, good for nothing… I should pull her hair. Those long locks of raven. Would make her cry in an instant, send her to the floor and surrender, but on the other hand that just seemed kind of tame. She pulled the collar on my T-shirt, standing nose to nose with me, Raph was on my left side, the table om my right. He put one hand on my shoulder, and one on hers. It was to separate us, I knew as much, but I was done with this irritating louse. Now she was getting it!

"Your parents will be here in about ten minutes, Sheila," my mum sang from the door. I could practically hear her breath stop from my position when she saw us. "What are you doing, Matty?"

"Me?!" I screeched, tearing myself away from that little bug. "She freaking started it!"

"Who, me?" there she went again, with that stupid innocent voice, teary eyed and sniffing. "I didn't do anything to Matty. I don't know why he hates me so much."

"Don't call me Matty, you damn rat!"

"Matthew!" my mum was mad now. I wasn't supposed to say damn, or hell, really. But what did she expect when Sheila left me with the whole blame? Because of her, I could have burnt my gullet!

"This is not fair, why don't you believe me?!" I hated quarrelling with my mum, especially when I had guests. And this time it felt like I might cry too; damn it!

"Let it go, Matt," Raph muttered in my ear. I hated him for it. Hated him because he was right, it made everything worse.

"Let it go? You let it go, you goodie-two-shoes!"

"C'mon, Matt," he continued, while my mum yelled out something else. "She's not worth it."

"Why is everyone ganging up on me, man? Especially you, Raph. You're supposed to have my back! Some friend you are," I tore myself lose and sat down, sour and upset. I would _not_ cry. I felt stupid enough as was.

Raph sat beside me, a worried expression crossing his face. He was beyond a doubt the gayest guy who ever lived. But I was also, beyond a doubt, way too moody right now. I could blame it all on puberty, which wasn't a complete lie, but I was still being unfair, and I refused to admit it to anyone in the room, especially Sheila who stood with that mischievous grin on her face again. When she sat down, she couldn't hide it any longer. She burst out laughing, tears steaming down her face, her left hand beating the table's surface. I was sour, Raph concerned, my mum confused.

"You should… you should see your face!" Sheila laughed, trying to catch her breath. "Holy shit dude, you look like you're about to flip the cruddy table!"

She laughed more hysterically now, my mother coming over with a shocked expression, like she couldn't believe her ears. She looked between the three of us, her eyes nearly bulging out of her face.

"Told you," I protested, casting her a glance.

"Well," my mum's voice started small, growing into that stern one I knew too well. "Young lady, I don't know what your parents let you do at home, but in my house, we do not cuss!"

Sheila looked up, wiping her tears, guilt crossing over those jewels she called eyes. She cleared her throat and sat up straight, my clothes sagging a bit on her, but not by much. I must admit, it kind of suited her. What? No!

"I'm sorry," Sheila said. Though amusement still trailed her voice, she looked more sincere than I'd seen her since our encounter. "You too, Matt. Sorry."

Okay, so she looked at me now, sparkling eyes cleansed by tears, wearing my stupid clothes, a sincere expression, hair shimmering in the ceiling lamp. Why did I suddenly find it all incredibly funny too?

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I muttered, looking at Raph. "Lo siento," I spat out. One of the few phrases I knew in Spanish, and my accent was probably horrible.

"Don't think about it," he smiled, giving my shoulder a puff. He was way too forgiving.

My mum just shook her head, a despondent look on her face. I could read that expression well, too: Teenagers! She went back to her sit-com, forgetting our weird outbursts, and insults, and cusses. Just like Raph, she had a tendency to be way too forgiving.

"Wanna play cards?" I heard myself ask, darting my eyes between Raph and Sheila. Sheila already sat down again, sipping her chocolate like nothing ever happened.

"Sure," she muttered. "What you wanna play?"

"I was thinking about teaching Raph poker."

"Holy crud!" her eyes gleamed at Raph. "You dunno poker?"

Raph shook his head with a cheesy grin and scratched his neck. It was nothing to feel guilty or embarrassed about, really. So what? I only kind of knew because I saw let's-players on YouTube play it.

* * *

Sheila's dad came for her way too fast. A sturdy built, short, blond haired man with emerald eyes, just like hers. He had his hands crossed, his mouth set in a scowl, and Sheila kind of sank below it, an innocent smile trying to find her lips.

"Do you know how worried you got us, you cruddy rebel?" he hummed, eyes flickering with lighting.

"Sorry, Dad," she looked to her feet, the sadness we'd seen outside finding its way back to her eyes once again.

"Save your cruddy apologies for home, along with your explanation," he heaved in twice and spoke more calmly. "You scared the crud out of me, Shrimp."

"Shrimp?!" I barked.

"Don't laugh too much, Matty," she said Matty in such a sweet tone I thought I'd throw up.

Sheila's dad turned to my mum, a crooked smile working its way to his lips, his eyes apologetic. "Thank you, for taking her in and calling, Mrs.?"

"Miss," my mum corrected him. "Larina Callahan."

"Wally Beetles," he presented himself. "And now, I'll pick up this lil' rascal. Her mother wants to exchange a word or two with her as well."

Sheila let out a sigh, putting down her cards. "Crud. And Raph was just getting the rules."

"Well," Mr. Beetles said. "Maybe you, and Raph, and…"

"Matt," I said.

"Matt, can continue the game another day."

"Really?" her eyes sparkled.

"Yeah," he ruffled her hair. "But don't think it'll be within the first week or two."

"Aaaw."

My mum gave Mr. Beetles Sheila's clothes, and we all stood and waved a little awkwardly at each other as he followed her to his car, the downpour mere drops now. My clothes fitted her so well, they could as well have been hers from the start.

"I'll return the clothes tomorrow," Mr. Beetles called to my mum before backing out, and she responded by waving with that kind smile of hers.

That was how Raph and I became friends with Sheila Sanban Beetles.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter of Ever After.**

 **As always: Criticism and/or advices on improvements are welcome and highly appreciated :)**

 **-TippierCoffee**


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